Car-coupling



v (No Model.)

T. WELCH.

GAR GOUPLINGr.

No. 577,801. Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

I u# .il /11 Inus'ntor,

Nirnn raras" ArnNr Fries.

THOMAS VELOH, OF PAV PAV, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SBECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,801, dated February23, 1897.

Application iiled February 5, 1896.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WELCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Paw Paw, county of Van Buren, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oar-Coupling; and Ideclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to certain newand useful improvements incar-couplers, and has reference more particularly to devices forproperly operating and controlling the coupling mechanism.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide means for operatingthe coupling-pin or locking device of a car-coupler which can be put inoperation at any time, whether there is tension on the coupler or not;second, to provide means whereby the coupling mechanism can be set sothat when cars are brought together they will operate the couplingmechanism and accomplish the coupling automatically, and whereby when itis not desired to couple the cars the coupling mechanism can be set sothat it will not engage when the cars come together. I accomplish theseobjects of my invention by the devices hereinafter described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel presents a perspective view of a portion of one end of a railway-carwith my improved devices attached thereto.v Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailview of the spring connection between the lever or rock-bar and the lockor coupling-pin. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the wire loops J.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

Accordingly in the drawings, A represent-s the body of a car.

A represents an approved form of coupler, preferably a vertical-hookbar-coupler, having a knuckle hinged to swing laterally.

B represents the coupling-pin or lookin g device.

O represents my improved spring.

Serial No. 578,079. (No model.)

D represents a rock-bar provided with an arm F at one end thereof.

E represents a lever fulcrumed, as shown at z', in brackets E F',engaged on the end of the car. The arm F of the rock-bar acts upon theunderside of the lever E. Brackets F' F2, attached to the end of thecar, form bearings for said rock-bar D. This rock-bar is provided with acrank-arm fr at the outer end thereof, by which the rock-bar isactuated.

G is a rod supported horizontally in suitable guideways fm 'm on theside of the car, said rod being provided with a downwardlyprojecting armG', which may be formed by looping the bar G as shown. One extremity ofthe rod G is turned at an angle to the body of the rod, as shown at I,to limit the movement of said rod through said guideways. The oppositeend of the rod G is bent inwardly to form an arm H.

R represents a cam-block on the side of the car adjacent to the rod G,over which the arm G of said rod may pass in order to partially rotatesaid rod and permit the arm G as it strikes the cam-block to pass overthe crank r of the rock-bar to its place to the rear of said cam-block.

The spring O is constructed to act as a compression-spring andpreferably consists of a coil O, through which extend the straight armsjy" of the two loops J, said loop being preferably made of wire bent toform said arms, and an eye J at each end of said loop. The arms jj arebent at their free extremities to form hooks L L. The two loops J J arepreferably identical in form. The loops J J are engaged with the coil C'by closing together the corresponding hooks L L, when the respectiveloops may be slipped through the coil O and in opposite directions theone with the other, the hooks L L of the two loops J J engaging overopposite extremitiesl of said coil. The two loops J J being thus engagedwith the coil O provide eyes J J at opposite extremities of the spring,by which the spring may be readily connected with the coupling-pin orlocking device B and with the lever E. It will be obvious that whenstress is put on the spring the hooks L L over the opposite ends of thecoil O will cause the compression of the spring. It will be noted thatthis construction makes a very cheap and convenient spring which can beeasily removed and readily attached, requiring no Welding or opening oflinks or any preparation for engaging the spring in place, while also itmakes a very strong connection of the locking device with the lever E.Extensionsprings have been found to be impracticable in this connection,inasmuch as they have been found not to lift quickly enough, andbecoming too much extended they are found to be weak and very liable tobreak. They also lose their elasticity and are found to be moreexpensive for the reason that the coils must be closer together, thespring therefore being of greater weight. A compression-spring, however,is found to remedy these defects, inasmuch as the application of tensioncompresses the coil, and such a spring has been found by adequate teststo lift as quickly as a chain, while it does not lose its elasticity andis never liable to break. For these reasons a compression-spring hasbeen found to possess special advantages for drawing the locking devicesor coupling-pins.

It will be seen that when the cars stand so as to exert a strain uponthe locking device more power will be required'to disengage the lockingdevice than where the cars stand in such a manner that the lockingdevice is without strain thereupon and is perfectly free to be lifted.In such a case a compression-spring is essential. The compressionspringis of such a suitable heft that it need not be compressed in exertingthe locking device when there is no strain thereupon, the spring beingcompressed, however, when there is a strain thus upon the locking deviceto be overcome, owing to the straining position of the cars. It will beobvious that when the spring is so compressed and the strain upon thelocking device is relieved the recoil of compression-spring will drawthe lock.

In operating my improved device, if it is desired that the car shallcouple with an adjacent car, the coupling mechanism is set in theposition indicated in full lines in Fig. l, the rod G being'drawn wellforward, with the arm H projecting inward. When an adjacent carapproaches, obviously it will strike the arm H, forcing the arm G in theopposite direction along the side of the car, the arm G engaging thecrank-arm r of the rock-bar, thereby throwing the arm F of the rock-barforward into position indicated by the dotted lines and allowing the pinor locking device B to drop. The arm G, striking the camblock R,partially rotates the rod G, thereby swinging the arm G past the crank rand allowing the arm G to dropdown close to the side of the car to therear of the cam-block, as indicated in dotted lines. When it is desiredto couple a car, the brakeman simply swings the rock-bar D into positionindicated by the full lines in the drawings, thereby raising the springC, and with it the pin or lock B, to the position shown. The rod G isalso drawn forward, as indicated in full lines, and when the carapproaches or is approached by another car contact is made with the armI-I, whereby it is pushed toward the car to which it is attached,causing the arm G to strike the crank r, as above described, and causingthe pin or lock B to fall, the rod G being moved tc the positionindicated by the dotted lines, the cam-plate R raising the arm G anddisengaging said arm from the crank r.

When it is desired to bunch the cars together without coupling them, thelock or pin B is raised, as shown in full lines in the drawings, and therod G is moved to the position indicated by the dotted lines, so thatwhen two cars come together the arm H .will be out of the way and willnot be struck to operate the rock-bar in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

It will be seen that by use of this device it will not be necessary tostand by the coupler to either lock or unlock the same. He can simplyset the coupling mechanism to accomplish either result hereinbeforementioned, as may be desired, and the desired operation will beaccomplished with certainty. Having set the coupling mechanism at oneend of a car, as above mentioned, the brakeman may pass on to the next,and so on, or to any other duty, without delay.

Hy improved spring is so constructed as to be extremely durable, and itcan readily be substituted in place of the ordinary chains already inuse in almost any style of coupler, while it may be constructed alsomuch more cheaply than a chain or other connecting devices heretoforeused, and can be applied by any person quickly and is not liable to getout of repair. However, should it become worn it can be readily renewed.

Having thus described my improved carcoupling device, I desire to statethat it can be considerably varied in its details without departing fromthe principle of my invention. Other styles of compression-springs canbe employed, although the one I have herein shown and described is muchsuperior to others. The compression-spring may also be used inconnection with other forms of operating-levers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, havin g a knucklehinged to swing laterally, of a locking device, mechanism fordisengaging said locking device, a compression-spring connecting saidmechanism with said locking device, and means actuated by contact withan adjacent car to automatically release the locking device to effectthe coupling, whereby a strain upon the locking device will compresssaid spring, and whereby, when said strain is relieved, the recoil ofthe IOO IIO

IIS

compressed spring will lift the locking device and disengage said devicefrom said coupler, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a verticahhook car-coupler, of a locking device,mechanism for disengaging said locking device, and means actuated bycontact with an adjacent car whereby the locking device may beautomatically released to effect the coupling when it is desired tocouple, and means whereby the locking device may be retained ininoperative position when it is not desired to couple, at the will ofthe operator, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, of a rock-bar, alocking device connected with the rock bar, and means whereby therockbar may be automatically operated when desired by contact with anadjacent car to effect the coupling, for the purpose set forth.

Ll. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, havin g a knucklehinged to swing laterally, of a locking device, a rock-bar, acompression-spring connecting the rock-bar and locking device, and meansto automatically operate the rock-bar to effect the coupling, whereby astrain upon the locking device will compress said spring, and whereby,when said strain is relieved, the recoil of the compressed spring willlift the locking device and disengage said device from said coupler, forthe purpose described.

5. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, of a rock-bar, alocking device connected with the rockbar, and means whereby therock-bar may be automatically operated when desired, by contact with anadjacent car to effect the coupling, and means whereby the roclcbar maybe rendered inoperative by the approach of an adjacent car when it isdesired, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, of a rock-bar, alocking device connected with the rock-bar and a removable rod G toactuate the roclcbar, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, of a rock-barprovided with a crank-arm at its outer end, a locking device 4 connectedwith the opposite end of the rockbar, and a movable rod Gprovided withan arm G arranged to strike the crank-arm of the rock-bar, for thepurpose set forth.

8. 'The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, a locking deviceconnected with the rock-bar, a movable rod G provided with an arm G toactuate the rock-bar, and means to throw the arm G' out of contact withthe rock-bar, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, of a rock-barprovided with a crank-arm at its outer end, a locking device connectedwith the opposite end of the rockbar, a rod movable longitudinally ofthe car provided With an arm G to actuate the crankarln of the rock-bar,and with an arm I-l to contact with an adjacent car, and means to throwthe arm G'out of engagement with the crank-arm of the rock-bar, for thepurpose set forth.

10. The combination with a vertical-hook car-coupler, having a knucklehinged to swing laterally, of a locking device, mechanism fordisengaging said locking device, a compression-spring connecting saidmechanism with said locking device, and means actuated by contact withan adjacent car, whereby the locking device may be automatically`released to effect the coupling when it is desired to couple, and meanswhereby the locking device may be retained in inoperative position whenit is not desired to couple, at the will of the operator for the purposeset forth.

ll. The combination with a vertical-hook oar-coupler, havin g a knucklehinged to swing laterally, of a rook-bar, a lockingdevice, acompression-spring connecting the locking device with vthe rock-bar, andmeans whereby the rock-bar may be automatically operated, when desired,by contact with an adjacent car to effect the coupling, for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS VELCI-I.

lVitnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, O. B. BAENZIGER.

